The major projects

A presidential project: the Cité internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts

From the ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts in 1539 to the future Cité, the castle symbolizes the eminently political dimension that presides over the destinies of the French language. The project launched in 2018 was led by the National Monuments Centre, which provided the restoration and prepared the programming, in liaison with the Ministry of Culture.

Called to reflect the realities of French as a language of sharing, creation, innovation and cohesion within a national and international, but also territorial, the Cité will open its doors before the summer of 2023. It will be both a multidisciplinary place of discovery and encounter (permanent visit route dedicated to «L'aventure du français», temporary exhibitions, shows, conferences), place of learning (training in French, laboratory of pedagogical innovation), as of work (artist residencies, researchers and entrepreneurs, work studios, innovation laboratory).

Making the French language sensitive and intelligible to the general public is the purpose of this totally new project, which is part of a renewed policy of French and plurilingualism (Presidential Plan French language and plurilingualism launched in 2018).